I've said it before athletes should never be role models until I learned of Russell Wilson. He's the most unselfish, caring, smartest, thoughtful person we all inspire to be. He visits childrens hospital every Tuesday his offday to cheer up sick kids he doesnt know. He doesnt have to do that! Who does this? A class act does this! Russell Wilson isn't just a great role model for kids but for everyone. Oh and he happens to be a stud QB!

If Russel Wilson isn't a role model I'm not sure who would qualify to be one.

Wilson growing up had what a lot of people who need role models don't have; a stable successful family and a father who expected great things from his kids. Unfortunately even if you're lucky enough to have both your parents around let alone your father these days, you're lucky if they have raised you to be strong enough to take criticism and for them to have high expectations of you without getting butthurt.

It's good that he's done a great job of making the most of that good fortune, hopefully he can inspire those that haven't had the best luck and still show them that even with all of that, people will still tell you you'll fail at one of the toughest jobs on the planet, and you can still go out there and prove them absolutely wrong.

I think Wilson is the exception. He's not Aaron Curry religious he's a little more even keel but who wouldnt want their kid to grow up to be the kind of person Wilson is, even if he wasnt a great football player? You know the guy will succeed at anything he tries at

Bipolar wrote:He also happens to be a religious fanatic (not any different from Tim Tebow) and his constant bible references make him sound like a total douche.

other than that, he is a great role model for everyone.

the problem with athletes in general is that they are dumb as a rock. in case of RW, of course, you can see that this is obviously not the case.

the only place i ever see constant bible references from him is on his twitter feed, which is his personal twitter account, not a marketing/team tool, so I'm not sure how that makes him sound like a 'douche'. I'm atheist and am not a big fan of people attributing their success in life to what i perceive as mythical beings. But I haven't heard much if any religious speak from him in interviews, let alone enough to sound 'douchey'.

There is a problem with the phrase "role model". From a pure definition standpoint of the term role, "Sociology states- the rights, obligations, and expected behavior patterns associated with a particular social status. If we add in the term of model, it is a way of showing others how to behave. So, in effect, we are all role models in everything that we do. You can either be a good role model or a bad role model. People and especially kids will look to anyone that they admire and try to emulate their behaviour.

This has always been a hot button for me ever since Charles Barkley said that he was not a role model. BS! Everyone needs to be a shining example for others to live by. I have a degree in sociology and am also a teacher. I see everyday how behaviour, no matter good or bad will be copied by others. Nit picking on my part? Probably. However I find it extremely important that we look at all people, especially our athletic and other famous heroes as modeling behaviour.

So back to the OP and the question about Russell Wilson. RW is a good role model. I look up to him and the example he sets. Mike Vick on the other hand is a bad role model.

Sorry for the mini lecture but this commonly used phrase bugs the hell out of me..

Bipolar wrote:He also happens to be a religious fanatic (not any different from Tim Tebow) and his constant bible references make him sound like a total douche.

In a way you are promoting the same judgmental behavior of religious fanatics that turns people off. I use to be just like you..... till I grew up, now I really don't care what people think or believe as long as they are happy. Who are you or I to judge them?

SoulfishHawk wrote:I'm sorry but anyone who thinks this guy EVER sounds like a Douche clearly is on crack.

well, you have to judge the content of his communication, not what and how he does it in front of the camers.

let's face it, Russell Wilson is smart, since he completed a bacherlors in 3 years (although in Communications, and from a crappy school) and has a masters degree in leadership from UW Madison (for a football player? amazing!). its not as impressive as Donald Driver, but still pretty damn good overall.

these credentials alone by definition imply that the person:

a) knows how to talk and b) knows how to lead

what you see in front of the cameras is all great, but what I read on twitter is whole another story. his major flaw, in my opinion, is that he is deeply religious. the good news is that he is not as vomit-inducing as Tebow, who talks like a child, but I can still sense naivite and close-mindedness from a mile away.

again, my personal opinion and you are free to disagree with me. cheers!

SoulfishHawk wrote:I'm sorry but anyone who thinks this guy EVER sounds like a Douche clearly is on crack.

what you see in front of the cameras is all great, but what I read on twitter is whole another story. his major flaw, in my opinion, is that he is deeply religious. the good news is that he is not as vomit-inducing as Tebow, who talks like a child, but I can still sense naivite and close-mindedness from a mile away.

again, my personal opinion and you are free to disagree with me. cheers!

Bro, that is your major flaw...... you should be a little more accepting of people. Sounds like you have the problem, not him.

Fans are funny. Glad folks are excited. Wilson has a huge obstacle to overcome as far as expectations going forward. Please keep it up because I don't want to have to witness the crazy girlfriend that some of you might become if he isn't perfect.

Please don't let some weird deadspin article pop up about Wilson's days of pimping when he was younger. Hee hee .... j/k. Please forgive my transgressions.

Bipolar wrote:I am perfectly fine with him tweeting whatever he wants as well, but I do not want my children to grow up to be like him.

it is called a personal preference.

Sometimes it is better to not follow players. There are pros and cons. I tried following Seahawks players for a while then decided that it wasn't what I was interested in reading. Curry lasted less than the others. Only person I follow from the Seahawks is Walter Jones, and that was in response to him following me when I donated to his Turkey bowl cause.

The constant begging for retweets by fans is seriously jacked up so that was the other reason I decided not to follow players. That and the jackhole trolls wanting their minute of fame for dissing an athlete.

Last edited by drdiags on Wed Jan 16, 2013 3:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I'm not religious at all. But, if this is the only thing to complain about, so be it. He doesn't push it on me, and I couldn't care less what he believes. Plus, I've never been on Twitter. I don't need to know every time someone brushes their teeth, or goes to the store to buy a loaf of bread. He's a good dude, a TOTAL leader, and will be a Hawk for years. How is someone a douche because they are religious?? wow

SoulfishHawk wrote:I'm sorry but anyone who thinks this guy EVER sounds like a Douche clearly is on crack.

what you see in front of the cameras is all great, but what I read on twitter is whole another story. his major flaw, in my opinion, is that he is deeply religious. the good news is that he is not as vomit-inducing as Tebow, who talks like a child, but I can still sense naivite and close-mindedness from a mile away.

again, my personal opinion and you are free to disagree with me. cheers!

Bro, that is your major flaw...... you should be a little more accepting of people. Sounds like you have the problem, not him.

One of the major problems, since we are going on about sociology, with the world isn't that we all disagree but that so many of us refuse to tolerate or listen to those that do. We all want to stay in our admittedly flawed safety bubbles. If we are honest we all have to agree that none of us are 100% correct about anything. When we stop listening and start judging it only holds us back from personal and communal growth.

SoulfishHawk wrote:let's face it, Russell Wilson is smart, since he completed a bacherlors in 3 years (although in Communications, and from a crappy school) !

Are you seriously calling NC State a crappy school? Last time I checked UW has more bridges collapsing from bad engineering than NC State........ just saying. Science and Engineering are tough at NC State and they are known for good programs.

Bipolar wrote:He also happens to be a religious fanatic (not any different from Tim Tebow) and his constant bible references make him sound like a total douche.

In a way you are promoting the same judgmental behavior of religious fanatics that turns people off. I use to be just like you..... till I grew up, now I really don't care what people think or believe as long as they are happy. Who are you or I to judge them?

Thats just hilarious and shows the level of immaturity that contradicts the statement. I always laugh when I hear the phrase "and then I grew up". It's classic high school attack mode.

I don't even know what post you were referencing but I know you failed to make your point in those five words Please use the sarcasm button if your joking around. I hope I didn't miss the point but I did laugh out loud.

People find faith and purpose in their lives. I'm not religious but I have no problem with RW's strong Christian leanings. His faith is part of what makes him a courageous and giving soul. It allows him to carry on the burdens he does and to meet challenges head on.

T-Sizzle's point, if I may paraphrase, was to not judge people by how they came upon having upstanding characteristics but to appreciate that they have upstanding characteristics. "Then I grew up" can be taken as, "he/she has been in my shoes and would go onto to feel wrong about this opinion, so maybe, just maybe, I'm wrong as well?" or it can be taken as, "u a dumb kid, grow up to be a not so dumb kid now k lololol." It looks like you, Rich, may have taken it as something like the latter which is likely a misunderstanding of his intended tone.

Religion really doesn't have much bearing on anything if you're watching football.

This is unless the player we're talking about is being kept on the roster (or gets the starting job) because he fills the stands with people who think someone is a good player because they are very religious and charismatic.

RW's religion is what makes him...well him. He doesn't push it on you, but he believes in something that has encouraged him to strive and be a better person on and off the field.

I have no idea how you get "douche" from that. Does it really bother you that he posts scriptures from his faith on his Twitter? If that is what bothers you about RW then I don't know what to tell you, prepare to be bothered for the next 10-12 years I guess.

Bipolar wrote:I am perfectly fine with him tweeting whatever he wants as well, but I do not want my children to grow up to be like him.

How does that sound if you change it to:

Bipolar wrote:I am perfectly fine with him being gay, but I do not want my children to grow up to be like him.

not sure if I see any similarities. I simply don't like religious fanatics. hell, I don't like anyone who is obsessed over certain ideas!

its like one of those annoying uber political friends on Facebook (who wouldnt shut the F up about abortion, or their firearms, or gay rights, or organic products, or something else)... you don't really want to unfriend them out of respect form them in real life, and at the same time, you roll your eyes every time he shares another stupid agenda-loaded post.

same thing with Russell Wilson, in my mind. he might be great guy, a great player and a great leader, but I just don't like his religious obsessions.

Bipolar wrote:He also happens to be a religious fanatic (not any different from Tim Tebow) and his constant bible references make him sound like a total douche.

other than that, he is a great role model for everyone.

the problem with athletes in general is that they are dumb as a rock. in case of RW, of course, you can see that this is obviously not the case.

the only place i ever see constant bible references from him is on his twitter feed, which is his personal twitter account, not a marketing/team tool, so I'm not sure how that makes him sound like a 'douche'. I'm atheist and am not a big fan of people attributing their success in life to what i perceive as mythical beings. But I haven't heard much if any religious speak from him in interviews, let alone enough to sound 'douchey'.

Thank You. I am totally on the other end, a nut case about it if you let me, but believe Wilson is exactly how you conduct yourself as a professional.

Wilson is almost too good to be true. Parents need to be role models as well as choose role models for their kids. Wilson is an inspiration on many levels and parents can use him as an example of how "hard work pays off", "never quit on yourself", "never accept that you are too this or too that for this or that". The possibilities are endless.

Everywhere I go, people that know I'm a Hawk fan just go on and on about Mr. Wilson. Soon he'll have his own bobblehead and a Lombardi. What's not to love?

SoulfishHawk wrote:I'm sorry but anyone who thinks this guy EVER sounds like a Douche clearly is on crack.

well, you have to judge the content of his communication, not what and how he does it in front of the camers.

let's face it, Russell Wilson is smart, since he completed a bacherlors in 3 years (although in Communications, and from a crappy school) and has a masters degree in leadership from UW Madison (for a football player? amazing!). its not as impressive as Donald Driver, but still pretty damn good overall.

these credentials alone by definition imply that the person:

a) knows how to talk and b) knows how to lead

what you see in front of the cameras is all great, but what I read on twitter is whole another story. his major flaw, in my opinion, is that he is deeply religious. the good news is that he is not as vomit-inducing as Tebow, who talks like a child, but I can still sense naivite and close-mindedness from a mile away.

again, my personal opinion and you are free to disagree with me. cheers!

If being religious is what you classify as a 'major flaw,' you might need help, and not necessarily in the form of reigion.

Russell Wilson is a fantastic role model. My wife and I are having twin girls in June and I am a bit disappointed that one of them won't be a boy so I can name him Russell Wilson (first, middle). He exudes charisma, leadership, and work ethic. The most religious thing I've heard him say in interviews is "blessed" which he uses a lot but is fine with me because I don't feel like he's shoving it down our throats the way Tebow does.

I'm personally an agnostic (probably atheist) with VERY good moral expectations and a belief in the good of humanity. I find many people often use their religious beliefs to somehow distinguish themselves as "better" than other people, which is why I try to avoid following a lot of players and such on Twitter since it gets clogged up with biblical quotes more than actual original thoughts and comments.

However, Russell seems to find that perfect balance between being strong in his faith and not splattering it all over for self glorification, and I respect that tremendously. If there is a God, I'm sure He/She would be very proud of the man RW has become.

I would be very proud to have my children look up to him as a role model!

Lance Armstrong was a role model, until people found out how he made a living (cheating, lying, plotting to hurt others, ...etc). Tiger Woods was a role model, until his inner life came out ... People should NEVER attach themselves to celebrities like that. NEVER EVER. We only know them from what we see on TV. Period. They are human beings like you and me with strengths and weaknesses.If someone is looking for role models for their kids, then they need to listen to what Charles Barkley once said. Athletes are NOT role models, parents should be role models to their kids. I watched RW play 3 years here at NC State. His leaving the program here was very controversial and some of the blame was attributed to him. The coach made it sound like RW didn't want any competition at his position. He made it sound like RW wasn't fully invested into the NC State football program, because he would miss sprint practice to go play baseball. As you can imagine, the issue divided Wolfpack nation and some people were really mad at Wilson, when he decided to transfer. Lots of people here have a completely different opinion of RW. And there are people who aren't happy about his current success in the NFL. People here say, if he had stayed here in the Spring and practiced with the squad, NC State offense would have clicked better and that could have elevated the NC State program to new heights. Let's not really pretend RW is this guy, who has never made a bad decision in his life. He has made some decisions that rubbed people the wrong way here and I'm sure he will do some in Seattle at some point.

Russell Wilson, as anybody else, is a role model to some and not to all. I think its a pretty personal choice who you choose to have as your role model, or who you choose to have your children follow. My personal opinion is that Russell is as solid as it gets. If I had kids i would prop Russell up as somebody to follow and emulate. Obviously others wouldnt, which is perfectly fine.

Whatever makes a person a better human being whether its being Christian Jewish Muslim or whatever is what I'm getting at. Christianity is not who Wilson is, it's what he is.

As far as the kind of person you want your kids to be like I'd love for my kid to do well in school (Wilson), respect others (Wilson), show empathy towards less fortunate people (Wilson), and work tirelessly with a no quit attitude like Wilson. You don't have to be devout religiously to look up to someone like Wilson in my opinion. And hey... Russell Wilson happens to be a great nfl QB too. Kids will look up to athletes whether we like it or not and if it were my kid I'd pray (figuratively speaking) my kid would look at the great things Russell Wilson stands for, you don't have to study the bible to be the good person he is.